THE Philippine National Police (PNP), In coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), is seeking clearance from various concerned courts so they can immediately destroy more or less 809 kilos of shabu that were seized in the operations in Zambales, Bataan and Cavite.
PNP Chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar said that he had already tasked the PNP Legal Service to assist the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) and other Drug Enforcement Units (DEUs) in preparing the necessary legal documents in asking all courts concerned for the immediate destruction of not only the shabu seized in Zambales, Bataan and Cavite but also other illegal drugs confiscated in other police-initiated operations.
“We will seek clearance from various courts concerned for the immediate destruction of the more or less 809 kilos of shabu confiscated in these operations. Our legal actions will also cover all the other illegal drugs confiscated in other operations,” said PGen Eleazar.
“This is also based on the order of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte that these drugs be destroyed immediately to prevent allegations of drug recycling, even if this is not possible because of the stricter policies with regard to chain of custody,” he added.
The immediate destruction of illegal drugs is stipulated in Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which states that “after the filing of the criminal case, the Court shall, within 72 hours, conduct an ocular inspection” of the confiscated, seized illegal drugs or precursor chemicals and “through the PDEA shall within 24 hours thereafter proceed with the destruction or burning of the same,” provided, that a representative sample, duly weighed and recorded, is retained.
Eleazar said they will also take advantage of the Memorandum Circular issued by the Supreme Court last year, which reminded the courts nationwide to expedite the destruction of illegal drugs seized in various operations.
The SC Circular reminds all Regional Trial Courts to “strictly comply” with the requirements of Section 21 (4) of Republic Act 9165 on the immediate destruction of illegal drugs confiscated during police operations.
The same Supreme Court Circular also advised lower courts to prioritize issuance of destruction orders of seized drugs amounting to five kilograms or more: “In cases where the illegal drugs seized are physically brought to the court, the court shall issue the order of destruction thereof within 24 hours therefrom.”
The confiscated 809 kilos of shabu in Zambales, Bataan and Cavite, with a street value of more than P5.5 billion, was the biggest drug haul so far this year.
“I assure our kababayan that confiscated drugs in various operations conducted with the PDEA are fully accounted, and we are doing all legal means possible to destroy these drugs in the soonest possible time,” the Chief PNP said.